Tournament Reports

27-year-old poker pro becomes first player to win the same WSOP Circuit Main Event twice.

Blair Hinkle did it again Monday night at Horseshoe Casino by besting 367 entrants in the $1,675 No-Limit Hold’em Main Event in Council Bluffs. Emotions were difficult to hide as the young pro sat behind his riches draped by some of his closest friends and family smiling for the camera.

Blair, who’s also a gold bracelet champion, pocketed $121,177, his second WSOP gold ring and automatic entry in the WSOP National Championship Presented by Southern Comfort 100 Proof. On top of these accolades he earned the prestige of becoming the first player in WSOP Circuit history to win the same Main Event twice (he previously won it in 2010).

It’s a rare occurrence to have three local players end up at the final table of such a major event as the $3500 buy-in WPT Main Event of the bestbet Spring Series. It’s an especially difficult task when you consider that they have to wade through a veritable minefield of 351 deadly opponents the caliber of John Dolan, “Doc” Sands, Corey Burbick, Darryl Fish, and current WPT Player of the Year Matt Salsberg. But three great local players all found themselves sitting under the bright lights of the big table; Pete Tinnesz, Pete Chwala, and Danny Schecter were the big story going into the day.

Danny started the final table with almost double the stack of his closest opponent, professional poker player Mike Linster. It looked like it would be an easy day for Danny as he quickly eliminated pro player David Diaz with pocket kings after only a few minutes of play, but the professional players would soon make it clear why they play this game for a living. David Bell ensnared local tournament regular Pete Tinnesz in a trap after flopping top two pair with 9-10. Pete made a play with AK, David called and put an end to Pete’s final table run. Mike Linster took out Pete Chwala not long after. Danny was left to bring the Main Event win home to Jacksonville, but a heartbreaking badbeat would ensure that wouldn’t happen. With only 3 players left Danny ran pocket Kings into pocket Aces, and the chip leader to start the day would end up busting in 3rd place.

By Barbara Rogers

I got beat up a little bit, but I sure enjoyed myself in West Virginia, playing Hollywood Casino At Charles Town Races. One of my poker buddies made the trip with me, he couldn’t stay away from the cash action. It went full speed all night long. Packed room at any hour, Jeff can’t wait to go back. As for me, I couldn’t get enough of the tournament action. And that included re-buys to stay in the game. The pay-outs made this worthwhile to me.
The man in charge, Randy Keifer, had an excellent turnout when it became his turn to host the regional Hollywood Poker Open. Masterfully handled, Randy made sure everything ran as smooth as silk.

The World Poker Tour Seminole Hard Rock Showdown has crowned a champion and Kevin “1SickDisease” Eyster has walked away with $660,395 as the newest member of the WPT Champions Club. He topped a field of 542 players and a final table that included Jeff Madsen, and his friend Zo Karim here in South Florida.

 The respected online professional took his career live earnings close to $1.2 million. He has also won over a million online in his successful career. Eyster certainly proved his skill at tonight’s final table. He began with the chip lead and was in solid control of the final table all night long en route to his first major live title.

First a ring, then a bracelet. That’s the old adage on the WSOP Circuit. Gold bracelet champion Nick Jivkov has ideas of his own, though, and his adage goes something like this: first a ring, then a bracelet, then a couple more rings, then hopefully a few more bracelets.

He’s keeping up his end of the deal, too. Jivkov bested 260 entrants in the opening event at Horseshoe Council Bluffs Friday night, winning his third WSOP Circuit gold ring, $19,110 and 50 points toward the Casino Championship.

Jivkov is a veteran of the WSOP, having won his first ring in 2010 at IP Casino Resort and Spa in Biloxi, Miss. He followed the adage, winning a bracelet and $189,818 less than two years later in Las Vegas. He continued his winnings ways nabbing ring number two just a few months ago at Horseshoe Casino in Hammond, Ind., and finally, ring number three Friday night in Iowa.

NC Native Collects Gold Ring and $250K in First Cash

If ever there was a poker fairytale with storybook ending, it happened April 15 at the Harrah’s Cherokee Casino and Resort, nestled in the majestic Smoky Mountains.

The first-ever World Series of Poker Circuit ever held in North Carolina ended in spectacular fashion on Monday evening as John Bowman won the top prize of a quarter-of-a-million dollars to go along with Harrah’s Cherokee’s Main Event Championship. He stunned the poker world, his competitors, and even himself with the unexpected victory.

The Hollywood Poker Open (HPO) qualifying tournament at Hollywood Casino at Charles Town Races has concluded. The top winner from the main event – Michael McNeil of Wheeling, West Virginia, will be heading to Las Vegas and the M Resort to compete in the $500,000 guaranteed HPO Championship on June 28-30. McNeil won $62,857, including the $2,500 seat at the HPO championship. He beat 143 competitors in the $1,620 buy-in event which was held March 29-31.

The 23rd Annual Winnin’ o’ the Green Tournament Series Main Event began on April 30th, 2013, with three Day 1 re-entry days. Participants were able to register and/or re-enter (same day or any subsequent Day 1) for the first 6 levels beetween March 30th through April 1st, for a chance to win the $150K Guaranteed prize pool. Each player received 30,000 in tournament chips for the price of $345.00.

 The deepstack No Limit Hold’em main event attracted 1,722 entries, catapulting the guaranteed $150k prize pool to, $371,607. On Tuesday, April 3rd at 6:00 p.m., 151 semi-finalists returned to the Event Center, in the money, to play down to a winner. All had hopes of laying claim to the $70,097 first place prize.

By Rhue R Reis

A total of 192 players entered the $2,500 No-Limit Hold’em event in the 2013 Foxwoods Poker Classic with a total prize pool of $433,007 on the line. The final table’s two initial chip leaders maintained their positions to the end, and battled heads up for only a few hands. Ryan Eriquezzo of Danbury, CT realized 2nd place earnings of $69,541 while Justin Schwartz of Milford, CT captured the Trophy, Watch and the $112,582 Top Prize for the 2013 Foxwoods Poker Classic $2,500 No-Limit Hold’em Champion.

 21-Year-Old College Student Wins First Gold Ring and $174K

WSOP Circuit’s Last Stop on Jersey Shore has concluded. Joseph McKeehen put on the most dominant display of the 2012-2013 World Series of Poker Circuit season on Monday, winning the Main Event Championship at Caesars Atlantic City McKeehen made a shambles out of the poker proceedings, scorching the hopes of each and every would-be rival in his shining path to victory. Consider that when play reached the final table, the 21-year-old college student had nearly half of the total chips in play. The old line about everyone else “playing for second place” gets overused in poker tournament liturgy. However, if ever there was an appropriate use for the aphorism, it was most certainly the final table of the Main Event in Atlantic City.

 In fact, McKeehen was never in serious danger of elimination. Like an alley cat toying with its prey, the young semi-pro poker player from North Wales, PA made it rather obvious that the mice in the dispute had no real fighting chance. The rush of cards didn’t hurt McKeehen’s prospects either.